02 DECEMBER 2013
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| DBM supports AFP pensioners with P3.03-B release |
| In fulfillment of the Aquino administration’s commitment to support the country’s retired uniformed personnel, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has announced the release of P3.03 billion to the Armed Forces of the Philippines – General Headquarters (AFP-GHQ) for the pension payments of the remaining 16,295 pensioners. DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad reported that as of date, the agency has already released P26.74 billion to meet the pension requirements of 104,816 military beneficiaries, with the release supporting the pension requirements for January to November, as well as the partial requirement for December, which amounts to P46.51 million. The release is chargeable against the Pension and Gratuity Fund under the 2013 General Appropriations Act. “Now that we are nearing the end of 2013, the Aquino administration is even more determined to fulfill its commitment to ensure ample support to all government retirees, including those who served in the country’s Armed Forces. Because the DBM has introduced a streamlined process of records confirmation, it’s become easier for us to facilitate the prompt release of funds for our military pensioners and to accomplish that in the most efficient, accountable manner possible,” the budget chief said. Altogether, a total of 121,111 claims—comprising 97 percent of the pension list—have already been verified and confirmed. The pension requirements amounting to P29.77 billion for this year were computed based on the pensioners’ respective years of service, longevity pay, and basic salary. According to the DBM, the roster of pensioners has already been verified and confirmed against Government-Service Bank (GSB) records and the budget department’s own database of retirees. Aside from establishing efficiency in identifying beneficiaries, the system also weeded out ghost pensioners and invalid entries, ensuring that all retirees are accounted for to receive their respective benefits. Meanwhile, 2,069 roster entries have yet to be verified with bank records and other supporting documents. A total of 1,539 names—which have been determined as invalid entries or ghost pensioners—have also been stricken from the roster to date. “The one-two punch of recent calamities and the forthcoming holiday season means that our AFP retirees could use all the help that they can possibly get. By ridding the existing database of bogus entries and facilitating the efficient release of our pensioners’ benefits, the Administration not only recognizes the urgent needs of the men and women who served the country in their capacity as uniformed personnel. It also affirms its commitment of providing the necessary support to our AFP retirees in line with our standards of transparency and accountability,” Abad stated. |
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| More tents airlifted to E. Visayas |
| As the government intensifies its provision of temporary shelter assistance to homeless families in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) welcomes the tent donations of the Australian government. The Royal Australian Air Force in coordination with the DSWD airlifted from Mactan Airbase in Cebu over the weekend an initial 1,000 tents for ‘Yolanda’ victims in Tacloban City and Ormoc City in Leyte, and Guiuan in Eastern Samar. Each tent has a floor area of 16 square meters and can accommodate a family with eight to ten members. The tents were earlier turned over to the DSWD by Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell. “Food, water, and the health of people affected by Typhoon Yolanda remain as pressing priorities, but it is also important to focus on providing them temporary shelter,” Ambassador Tweddell said. The ambassador explained that while tents are only “a temporary solution and are just a small part of our overall assistance,” these are “also critical to help people start to rebuild their lives.” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman lauded the Australian government for its continuing assistance to families affected by the typhoon. “Aside from the monetary aid that they already have provided, the Australian government is also providing other much needed assistance in the relief operations. We thank them for being always ready to lend a hand to the Filipino people,” Secretary Soliman noted. Likewise, the Royal Australian Air Force agreed to transport the 1,300 tents donated by the People’s Republic of China. |
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| Beauty queens find joy volunteering at DSWD warehouse |
| A day before repacking activities at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC), the main warehouse of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), were terminated on Saturday, three Binibining Pilipinas beauties showed up there to help repack goods for Typhoon Yolanda victims. Miss Universe 2013 3rd Runner-Up Ariella Arida, Bb. Pilipinas-International Bea Santiago, and Bb. PIlipinas First Runner–Up Pia Wurtzbach spent their Friday morning repacking goods with other volunteers. Although she had done volunteer work before, Ariella said this is the first time she volunteered at DSWD. She said, “Masarap sa pakiramdam ang mag-volunteer, lalo na at alam mong nakakatulong ka sa nangangailangan. Nakakatuwa din na nakikita ko na madaming handang tumulong sa Tacloban. Nakakatuwa din na makita na ang mga goods ay handang i-deploy sa mga areas. (It feels good to volunteer knowing that I am able to help. I am also happy to see all the relief goods that are ready for deployment to the [affected] areas.)” For her part, Bea shared, “It’s very organized here. I love how DSWD conducts the orientation focusing on those which should and should not be done by volunteers.” She also said that it is good that there is a log-in and log-out system to keep track of the volunteers. Bea also cited the relaxed ambience at the warehouse. “I love the pleasant environment with the music. The people are so nice and comfortable to work with. It is as if repacking is just an easy task,” she beamed. This was affirmed by Pia who remarked, “It’s very organized here. May sistema. Hindi lang basta papasok kung ‘di may briefing sa umpisa para malaman kung ano yung dapat tandaan. (It is very organized here. Volunteers don’t just come in. They undergo a short briefing wherein they are oriented on what they should do.)” Pia commented that they have been to other warehouses but DSWD has the most organized and the biggest repacking center. “I’m impressed with the system,” she added explaining that without such a system there would be instances that volunteers might miss to include some goods in the plastic bags. She also enjoyed interacting with other volunteers especially the policewomen. Messages of Hope When asked to give their messages for the victims of ‘Yolanda,’ Arriela said“Nakakatuwa na nagsisimula na ang pagbangon. Sana tuloy-tuloy pa din ang pagtulong. (I am glad that the affected families are now on their way to recovery. I hope that the people will continue helping.)” She went on, “Sa mga kababayan natin sa Visayas, sana patuloy kayong kumapit.Stay strong and positive. Ang daming handang tumulong. (To our countrymen in the Visayas, I hope that you continue to hold on. Stay strong and positive. Many are willing to help.)” The beauty queen also expressed her gratitude for the efforts of DSWD and the government in helping the victims of Yolanda. On the other hand, Bea, who is set to leave the country and compete for the Miss International 2013 competition, appealed to all to continue to pray hard. Pia also shared the sentiments of her two colleagues for the victims to remain strong and prayerful. She also thanked the volunteers for giving their time stressing that “we can all do our share in whatever form.” Words of thanks DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman reiterated her expression of gratitude to all volunteers as she encouraged them to continue to share their time also in the repacking centers in Eastern Visayas which are being strengthened after the closure of NROC and other repacking sites. “Responding to the needs of the affected families is made easier because of the volunteers and donors,” Secretary Soliman continued. ”It is very touching that Pinoys from all walks of life and all ages continue to help – beauty queens, uniformed personnel, students, clergy, government workers, corporate groups, among others. We affirm once again that we are a strong nation, and will rise up to this challenge.” |
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| U/KBs continue to post low NPL levels |
| Universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) kept their gross non-performing loans (NPL) low at 2.6 percent of total loan portfolio (TLP) in September this year. The gross NPL ratio stayed low amid a year-on-year decline in soured loans and the continued rise in lending. U/KBs posted Php 102.09 billion in NPLs in September, lower than the Php103.42 billion recorded a year earlier. The banks’ TLP, meanwhile, increased to Php 3.92 trillion in September from Php 3.44 trillion during the same month last year. The industry also continued to set aside substantial reserves for potential credit losses as U/KBs provisioned for 128.80 percent of their gross NPLs in September. Aside from gross NPLs, which are the actual level of NPLs, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) also monitors the NPLs net of specific allowances for potential credit losses. The net NPLs of U/KBs also remained low at 0.45 percent of TLP in September. The U/KBs NPL levels also continue to remain low across economic sectors. This is seen in the financial intermediation, real estate, manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade sectors which together accounted for 62.8 percent of the banks’ TLP in September. Low NPL ratios and robust loan loss provisioning indicate prudent management of credit risks. The BSP continues to monitor these indicators as part of its objective to maintain the stability of individual banks and of the domestic financial system. |
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| Press Con on 2012 full year Official Poverty Statistics slated on December 9, 2013 |
| The National Statistical Coordination Board announces the holding of a Press Conference on the 2012 Full Year Official Poverty Statistics on December 9, 2013 (Monday) at 10:00 a.m. at the NSCB Operations Room, 5th Floor Midland Buendia, Bldg., 403 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City. National Economic and Development Authority Director General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan will be the resource person for the said event. The press conference will be streamed live on the Internet through the NSCB USTREAM channel http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nscb. Highlights of the press conference will be tweeted live all throughout the duration of the press conference through the NSCB Twitter account @NSCBPhilippines. The hashtag to be used is #PHpoverty. |
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| Phl, South Korea top up dev't cooperation fund |
| MANILA - The Philippines has renewed development cooperation with South Korea, expanding financing assistance for priority sectors in the country, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. NEDA Deputy Director-General Rolando G. Tungpalan said the government of South Korea is making available a $500-million credit line to the Philippines under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) for 2014-2017. “The topped up EDCF provides additional funding option for items outlined in our Public Investment Program (PIP). This should allow us to ensure execution of priority programs and projects in the next few years,” Tungpalan said. For the period 2011-2013, four infrastructure projects with loan requirements totaling about $335.78 million were committed for funding under the EDCF. These projects are the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project, Stage II, the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project, the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Measures in Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay, and the Baler-Casiguran Road Improvement Project. “South Korea is interested in infrastructure projects especially in agriculture, energy and transportation. Their expertise in these areas could be beneficial to the country as we address infrastructure backlogs to accelerate development and recovery from recent calamities,” Tungpalan noted. The South Korean government, he said, has also expressed interest to fund disaster prevention and rehabilitation projects in light of damages brought by typhoon Yolanda. He added that the sectors in which South Korea has expressed interest on are aligned with the priorities of the updated Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and are opportunities for further deepening Philippines-South Korea collaboration. Tungpalan emphasized, however, that the revised framework in financing national government projects will maximize the use of ODA for projects requiring foreign content, expertise and technology. Further, ODA will be utilized if there are inherent advantages and value-added from tapping the prospective ODA funding source, and if the said funding source can assure timely project implementation and completion. The government's priority projects are identified in the PIP. Based on this, NEDA determines the projects that require financing in the short- to medium-term and validates their required foreign content, technology or expertise. The Department of Finance, on the other hand, determines the most appropriate financing mode and source for the projects. “While we appreciate development agencies offering financing assistance, we are firm on focusing these on the identified priority areas or sectors outlined in the PDP. We also would like to make sure we get high-quality, high-impact projects at the least cost” Tungpalan concluded. |
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| DOE to conduct high-level symposium on Renewable Energy |
| The Department of Energy (DOE), together with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, will be conducting a high-level symposium on renewable energy (RE) to discuss among stakeholders the developments and challenges in the RE sector. The symposium, “Time for Renewable Energies to push through – Reaping the fruits of the RE Law”, will be held on 03 December 2013 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. In line with the 2013 National Energy Consciousness Month, the activity aims to raise awareness and be an avenue for information exchange on the RE implementation and policy regulations, roles of different sectors in the society on RE development, and incentive mechanisms for RE developer, among others. Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said that through public discourses, every sector in the society especially the host communities and RE developers, can learn and eventually embrace the importance of RE development in securing the energy needs of the country. Among the topics that will be discussed is the status of RE development, which will highlight the roles of the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) and Net Metering Mechanisms which are provisions under RE Act of 2008. FIT offers emerging RE sources for electricity guaranteed payments on a fixed rate per kilowatt-hour for energy exported to the distribution or transmission network excluding energy utilized for eligible power plants’ own use. Meanwhile, the Net-Metering refers to a system, appropriate for distributed generation, in which a distribution grid user has a two-way connection to the grid and is only charged for his net electricity consumption and is credited for any overall contribution to the electricity grid. Participants of the said symposium will include representatives from the DOE and its attached agencies, CCC, National Renewable Energy Board, local government units, other government agencies, the academe, international partners, private companies and other RE stakeholders. |
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| DA convenes stakeholders for a stronger rice industry |
| The Department of Agriculture organized on November 29, 2013, the first ever National Grains Traders, Wholesalers and Retailers Conference in the hope of consolidating information and ideas from stakeholders and come up with a mechanism that will strengthen and uplift the national rice sector. The event, held at the Philippine International Convention Center, served as a venue for rice entrepreneurs to meet with farmers’ organizations and rice experts and discuss possible collaborations to meet the target of the food sufficiency program of the government. DA, through the leadership of Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, has remained adamant in its mission to provide safe and sufficiency rice supply for the Filipino people. “We target to be self-sufficient this year, and strengthen national production in the years to come,” Alcala announced. “This conference brings together our longtime partners in the rice fields in the countryside to help us in our mission to feed the every Filipino,” he said. Alcala added that aside from conferring with rice stakeholders, the DA continues to set up interventions to attain its key target of raising farm productivity, managing food staple consumption and enhancing economic incentives. The government-support measures include the expansion of irrigation services and the promotion of high quality seeds, as well as an intensified price support program, provision of credit facilities and crop insurance. Assistant Secretary Dante S. Delima added that the Department, through its Rice Program and partner agencies, continue to promote the consumption of alternative staples such as cassava, saba and brown rice and encourage the public to diversify and reduce food wastage. |
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| Yolanda-hit borrowers and businesses get relief in SSS payments |
| The Social Security System (SSS) has announced a moratorium on housing and member loan payments and lower interest rates for borrowers in areas devastated by Super Typhoon “Yolanda,” while calamity-stricken employers are given an extended payment deadline for their monthly contributions. The relaxed payment terms for contributions and loans are among the recent enhancements in the SSS Calamity Relief Package for victims of “Yolanda,” as approved by the Social Security Commission (SSC) on November 27. These cover specifically areas in central Philippines declared by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) under a “State of Calamity,” such as Leyte, Bacolod, Samar, Palawan, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo and Cebu. “Employers are required to remit contributions only for the months that their business has been actively erating. Because of the destruction wrought by Yolanda, we understand that employers in the typhoon-stricken areas have had to stop operations,” SSS explained. “As part of the relief package, the deadline of all employer contributions that correspond to the months of actual operations from October 2013 to March 2014 will be on April 30, 2014. This extended deadline will enable affected companies to use their current resources in fully restoring their businesses.” Resumption of regular payment deadlines will take effect for employer contributions on April 2014 onwards. Companies that remain non-operational after March 2014 must submit an accomplished SSS Form R-8 (Employer Data Change Request), along with the supporting documents, to suspend or terminate their membership with SSS. Borrowers affected by “Yolanda” will also get a reprieve from their SSS payments under a moratorium on loan amortizations that fall due on November 2013 to June 2014. The moratorium will benefit only calamity-hit borrowers with housing, salary and other short-term member loans, as well as those paying for acquired SSS housing assets in monthly installments. “The moratorium gives affected borrowers an eight-month grace period on loan payments due to the adjustment in their due date. This will help them use their limited funds for their subsistence needs and rebuilding expenses, without their worrying about the monthly loan penalty of one percent,” SSS added. The interest rate for amortizations within the moratorium period was dropped to one percent per annum --- in line with Malacañang's directive to grant interest-free loans, while still adhering to the SSS Charter's requirement for investments to earn at no less than the average Treasury-bill rate. The applicable interest rate for new salary loans and Salary Loan Early Renewal Program (SLERP) availments under the enhanced relief package will also be one percent per annum, lower than the regular rate of 10 percent. Loan repayment will start on the sixth month after the loan grant, instead of the usual two-month grace period before the start of loan amortization. As for loan renewals under the SLERP, deductions from the loan proceeds shall only include the outstanding principal and interest. Accrued penalties, if any, will not bear any interest and may be incorporated into the monthly amortizations of the new loan. Borrowers can directly claim their loan checks from the SSS branch where they filed their application for a quicker loan release. The enhanced relief package also includes the increase in advance pensions to six months from the original three months for calamity-stricken pensioners. SSS also waived the P300 replacement fee for members who lost their SSS IDs or Unified Multi-purpose Identification System or “UMID” cards during the typhoon. Earlier announced as part of the SSS relief package are the SLERP, which enables current borrowers to renew their salary loans ahead of the prescribed period; the waived one percent service fee for both new salary loan and SLERP applications; and the reduced six percent annual interest rate and waived application fee of up to P3,000 for House Repair and Improvement Loans. The deadline of applications for the SSS Calamity Relief Package for “Yolanda” is on April 30, 2014, while members interested in the special House Repair and Improvement Loan have one year from the issuance date of the SSS circular to file their application. |
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| TESDA, My Shelter give Yolanda survivors ‘Gift of Light’ for Christmas |
| As an early present, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and My Shelter Foundation will distribute several units of solar night lights to some communities affected by powerful typhoon Yolanda to brighten up their Christmas. The joint project plans to initially produce 1,300 solar night lights to be given to Leyte and Samar, and select communities in the country's poorest municipalities. Distribution will continue as production of the lights proceed with available funding. "Light is a basic need. When there is light you can move around, you can be productive," Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA director general, said in an event organized on Friday (November 29) to showcase the production of the solar lights at the TESDA Complex in Taguig City. "The list of what's lacking in tent cities and makeshift shelters of the typhoon survivors is long, but near the top is light. TESDA and My Shelter are doing their share of helping," he said. During the event, the covered court serving as a multi-purpose hall at the TESDA Complex was transformed into a production area to display how the solar night lights were assembled. Trainees from the TESDA Women's Center, several persons with disabilities and students from the University of Sto. Tomas and the Malayan Colleges worked on their solar upgrade kits to produce the lights ready for distribution. A total of 1,000 kits were assembled that day. To spread the use of the technology, hands-on training on how to assemble the solar light was conducted by TESDA trainers side by side the production line. Villanueva and My Shelter Foundation executive director Illac Diaz took part in the activity. TESDA and My Shelter Foundation earlier gave several units of the solar lights to families in Tacloban City, but they said they are aiming for mass distribution soonest. Diaz said the lighting of the homes will be timed with the country's commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, who began the revolution for independence. With the project, the country is now embarking on a new green revolution, he added. Diaz's group earlier started the Liter of Light project that uses bulb and plastic bottles. The design features a solar lamp that uses solar energy to power the lamp that will illuminate the bottle at night. "Rehabilitation of typhoon-damaged provinces is not an easy task, but a flicker of light, in this case, a single solar-powered light, is a good way to start," Villanueva said. |
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| MMDA holds farewell mass in Leyte |
| TACLOBAN CITY, NOV. 28 - The parish priest of Sto. Nino Shrine here praised the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for its efforts and sacrifice in helping rehabilitate the badly damaged city that was ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda on November 8. In a thanksgiving and departure mass for the MMDA contingent that has been in the city since November 10, parish priest Fr. Gani Petilos said the MMDA workers were the "real heroes" who had been helping city residents recover from the devastation of the typhoon. "Habambuhay ko ipagmamalaki mga taga-MMDA, kahit di ko matandaan mga pangalan at anyo niyo. Ang pagtulong sa kapwa ay pagmamahal sa Diyos," Petilos said in his homily. Petilos appealed to the media to stop focusing on others in their news reports but instead interview the lowly MMDA aid workers who had been silently working in Tacloban and other typhoon-devastated areas day and night, while enduring the sadness of being away from their own families. "Try interviewing the MMDA workers for real stories of heroism. Their sacrifice in giving aid to their countrymen is immeasurable," the parish priest said. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, who attended the mass along with other agency officials, said the MMDA will always be on hand to give assistance to those in need. "The country can depend on us in serving our kababayans who are victims of calamities and disasters. We at the MMDA are always ready to respond to all kinds of crisis," the MMDA chief said. More than 304 MMDA personnel attended the mass, most of whom had been in Tacloban and other towns in Leyte since November 10, actively taking part in the rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations. Tolentino said the MMDA contingent will go back to Manila on December 1. "We may be tired and bruised, but we will go home with a smile and satisfaction that we were able to help thousands of typhoon victims, who were the ones who suffered the most and lost almost everything," he said. After the mass, the MMDA workers hung 50 red and yellow Christmas lanterns around the church's premises to promote the spirit of Christmas. "Even with the devastation, there's still hope. There's still a Christmas to celebrate and thank for," Tolentino said. As of November 28, the MMDA relief and cleanup unit has hauled 64,792 cubic meters of debris, or 92.56 percent of estimated volume of debris and garbage in the streets of Tacloban, and has made a total of 4,952 truck trips. |
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| Phl has second poorest quality of infrastructure in ASEAN |
| Quality of infrastructure in the Philippines is second to the last in the ASEAN region. This was disclosed by Dr. Adoracion Navarro, Senior Research Fellow of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), during the forum "Financing Infrastructure in the Philippines " held at PIDS. In the Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 of the World Economic Forum, the Philippines is ranked 98th among 144 countries in terms of quality of overall infrastructure. Philippine infrastructure is worse than Cambodias, Navarro said. In the ASEAN region, the only country the Philippines overtook was Viet Nam that placed 119th, the ASEAN nation with the poorest quality of infrastructure. Ranked first in the region is Singapore, which is second overall among 144 countries. Malaysia was ranked 29th; Brunei Darussalam, 43th; Thailand, 49th; Cambodia, 72th; and Indonesia; 92th. Lao PDR and Myanmar are not included in the ranking. The Philippines got the lowest rank in terms of quality of port infrastructure (120th) and air transport infrastructure (112th). This is clearly worse than Cambodias 69th and 75th ranking in port and air transport infrastructure, respectively. Navarro attributes this poor turnout to underinvestment in infrastructure. In 2012, only 11 percent of the total appropriated budget for infrastructure was spent"a scenario that has not changed since 2010. Navarro said the decreasing reliance on official development assistance (ODA) loans also contributed to the low quality of Philippine infrastructure. In 2012, ODA loans for infrastructure was more than US$5 million, which was relatively smaller than the figure in 2008 which was over US$6 million. As of 2013, there are 21 projects in the pipeline under the Public-Private Partnership scheme. Required investments in 18 of these projects are projected at US$5 billion. Three of the 21 projects do not have cost estimates yet. Navarro challenged stakeholders in the financial sector to take advantage of the liquid financial market given the huge projects costs in infrastructure and the single borrower limits faced by banks in direct lending. Given the maturity of lending capital by Philippine banks (10-15 years) and the long gestation of infrastructure projects (25-30 years), the government could facilitate the creation of credit enhancements for infrastructure bonds that can be issued by private issuers. The government should also organize a group of experts from both the private and public sectors to formulate clear mechanisms and an institutional setup to mobilize bank resources for infrastructure financing, said Navarro. |
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| DSWD sets up special place for women at evacuation camps |
| Tacloban City, Leyte - Aware of the special needs of women who are presently staying in evacuation centers, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has set-up Women Friendly Spaces (WFS) in its evacuation centers. WFS is a special place for women in evacuation centers where they can breastfeed their children, learn about health and well-being, and receive counseling, among others. The establishment of the WFS is also integrated in evacuation camp management which aims to respond to the effects of displacement and vulnerability of women and children in natural and man-made crisis situations, such as disasters and incidents of armed conflict. Initially, five WFS are installed at the Redemptorist Church, San Fernando Community School, San Jose Elementary School, Rizal Central School, and the Tacloban Convention Center. Alona Bermejo, the focal person of the WFS strategy, said that the project is co-funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). She further explains that a WFS can be installed in a classroom, in an office space facility, or in a tent. The WFS concept operates by tapping service providers, not only in providing psycho-social support for the internally displaced women but also medical, reproductive health services and basic food and non-food needs. Beneficiaries of the WFS will become part of the local government unit referral system where they will be accessed to different agencies for livelihood opportunities. J ust this week, the UNFPA had a Reproductive Health Medical Mission at the convention center. Stories of courage The WFS has been a place where women can interact and share their stories as part of their coping to overcome their trauma. They are are guided by social workers who are trained on stress debriefing. In the WFS at Rizal Central School, social workers gathered the women to tell their stories. A lady in her early 30’s, shared her touching experience with the supertyphoon.She appeared to be a strong person yet she cannot hide the tremble in her voice. Not wanting to be named, she shared in local dialect, “I was able to get hold of a cable wire while carrying my baby. The determination of my husband pushed me to carry on despite the threat that any minute me and my baby would die. The water was chest-high. Finally, we were able to find shelter in the second storey of a nearby house.” Another woman who resides at Pampango District recounted that she and her child were washed away, about ten meters from their home. A banana trunk aided them to safety. She, however, said that it was such an ordeal expressing her fear that she won’t be able to see her other son again. “I was trembling with fear and uncertainty. It was all too sudden. I never thought the situation will end up this way because I don’t know what “storm surge” is. I could also be blamed. My family was advised to evacuate but we didn’t. Thank God, we were reunited later with my older son. He was rescued by my uncle,” she tearfully related. “Paano kami babangon? Pinag-ipunan namin ang mga gamit ng mahabang panahon. Kailangan namin ng hanapbuhay.(How will we rise again? It took us quite some time to save for our belongings. We need to have livelihood),” another woman-survivor said expressing her grief over her lost possessions. “Masakit, marami akong pinaghihinayangan. Ang ganda pa naman ng Tacloban. (It’s heartbreaking, Tacloban is such a wonderful place),” another evacuee shared. |
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| Thank you, Volunteers – DSWD |
| The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) extends it gratitude to all the volunteers who helped repack relief goods at its main warehouse, the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City, and in all its satellite hubs in Metro Manila and in the regional repacking centers. The Department reiterated that it has closed the repacking centers in Metro Manila and Cebu and will strengthen those in Eastern Visayas. DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman emphasized that the volunteers contributed greatly to the relief efforts of the government especially in the repacking and delivering around 2.6 million relief packs to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern and Western Visayas. “I commend and personally thank our volunteers. We could not have done it without you,” Secretary Soliman said. The commendation comes at an auspicious time as the nation celebrates today, November 30, the birth anniversary of one of our national heroes, Andres Bonifacio. She added, “You truly exemplify the essence of modern heroism…” She also thanked the employees of DSWD and other government agencies, and the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Marines, Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) who provided “invaluable help and assistance” during the relief operations. She also recognized those who provided stress debriefings to mothers and children in the evacuation centers who were traumatized by the typhoon. Since November 9, the day after ‘Yolanda’ hit the country, until November 29, a total of 151,920 volunteers have enlisted in the different repacking centers in Metro Manila and other regions. DSWD officials will go around the repacking centers today, the last day of volunteer activities, to thank the volunteers and ensure that the closing would be smooth. Relief distribution continues With the repacking to be done in Eastern Visayas, Secretary Soliman assured that relief distribution will continue until December for all affected families. The Department started with the sixth round of distribution yesterday. By January until February, relief distribution will focus on families who are still not capable to earn. These include those families with female heads, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant and lactating mothers, small children, and sick members. Cash-For-Work As part of the early recovery efforts, the Department will continue to provide Cash-For-Work (CFW) for the victims of ‘Yolanda.’ The CFW is an intervention for disaster victims where they are given cash in exchange for doing community work such as cleaning of roads and canal debris. According to Secretary Soliman, the CFW would help victims return to their normal social functioning in life as they will have some money to buy food and other necessities. “Working and earning through the CFW scheme will not only help them recover but to also regain their self-esteem and dignity,” she shared. Secretary Soliman urged the priority-families to go to their respective City or Municipal Social Welfare Office and provide them with their circumstances to ensure that they will be included in the list of relief recipients. Donors also lauded Secretary Soliman likewise lauded local and international humanitarian aid donors for their generous support. “Your donations will go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of all typhoon victims,” she stated. Among the latest donors are United Pulp and Paper Company, Inc. (UPPC) which turned over to the DSWD a check donation amounting to more than P1.2 million and 10 boxes of used clothes; Clark Development Corporation (CDC) with P1.2 million; and Innovathink Corporation with cash donation worth P54,000 and 40 boxes of canned goods and used clothing. DSWD Assistant Secretary Javier Jimenez received the UPPC donation yesterday on behalf of Secretary Soliman at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City. In receiving the donation, Assistant Secretary Jimenez said, “We really appreciate your generosity and will be sharing with you our rehabilitation plan so you will see where your donations go.” Wichan Jitpukdee, President and Chief Executive Officer of UPPC conveyed the company’s desire to aid the typhoon victims. On the other hand, Franco Madlangbayan said their donation came from the officials and employees of Clark Development Corporation. “We want to do our share to help the typhoon victims,” he pointed out. For their part, Ferdinand Mesina of Innovathink remarked, “In response to the crisis, we decided to cancel our traditional Christmas party in the office to help in our own little way.” As of November 29, a total of P47,759,770.59 local cash donations and US$13,109,737.27 foreign cash donations were received by DSWD for ‘Yolanda’ victims. |
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